Enrick led his team through the forest while his shield tapped lightly against his back. Gregan and Kate followed behind him, bickering inanely as they trekked.

It was something about otters, from the bits he'd overheard.

Groaning silently to himself, Enrick continued to focus on scanning the surroundings. Admittedly, it was a lower mana-density region of the forest— hardly the most likely spot for a monster's ambush. Still, unnecessary vigilance remained a better option than becoming involved. The two could debate anything, from a meal's taste to the theological divide between gods.

In all truth, Enrick just really didn't care to know the details of today's argument. The day before had been on the topic of [Simulacrums], and he'd had more than enough time to regret having weighed in. The only thing the two might enjoy more than their own inter-conflict was directing that same energy onto others. The headache he'd earned for his involvement had only served to reinforce the lesson he knew he should've long since learned.

They'd practically chatted his head off, and Lorel hadn't been there to save him.

Enrick pulled his waterskin from the belt across his waist and took a drink. On the brighter side of things, the forest was chill— a welcome relief from the previous season's warmer temperatures. It made the trek back to town thoroughly more enjoyable.

Not that moving through a monster-infested forest was enjoyable, but like most things, the declaration was relative. Enrick preferred the cold to the warmth and thus was having a more pleasant experience.

Or at least, he was up until his group hit the flower field.

Enrick squinted as he emerged from the treeline. The sun was high overhead, and the change in lighting caused by the sudden absence of leaves blasted him full in the face. An open swath of land stood before them, but not one of them moved to cross it.

Instead, both Enrick and Kate groaned while Gregan whistled behind them.

"Damn, that's a pretty big one." Eyes glued to the flowers before them, the [Druid] of their party nodded, somewhat impressed.

"Gods damn it, I swear these things pop up specifically to block you. That's what— another twenty, thirty minutes around the side?" Kate threw up her arms.

Enrick, meanwhile, looked mournfully across the span of the field. "Closer to thirty, yeah."

"Gods. Okay, give me a minute, then— no reason not snag a few while we're here, at least. Gregan, you said before that the blood blossoms absorb mana from the things they catch, right?"

Briefly lifting his head, Gregan made a face. "I guess? I mean, if you want to go and pick a few of its shoots, be my guest. I'll tell you now, though— they're not worth the trouble. They may have a bit of magic in them, but most of it gets stored in the roots; just picking the things won't get you more than a few sparks worth at best."

Kate waved him off. "That's fine. I'm not really looking for a supplement; I just want to try some—" Pausing just a few steps away from one of the furthest flower offshoots, she turned her head back around. "Sorry, I think I missed that first part. Did you say its shoots? As in one, singular plant?"

"Yeah, more or less; these things use a shared root system. Here— activate your [Mana Sight]. You might actually be able to see some of the more central nodes." Distractedly, Gregan pointed a finger down from where he was standing and dragged it in a semi-circular shape around the field's leading edge. "Looks like this one's extending a few meters past the top layer here, too. Shouldn't really matter in the grand scheme of things, but it's damn impressive."

"Right. Well, then." Seeming to eye the field a bit more warily, Kate gave a more hesitant nod but continued. Quickly plucking three of the flowers one after another, she moved to tie off their ends. Her hands deftly avoided serrated protrusions while the gloves she wore protected her hands from the stems' hairs. After stuffing the flowers into her pack, she stepped back and gave a whole-body shake.

"You know, as much as we usually appreciate your little druidic trivia, I could've lived just fine without knowing that. Thanks for the nightmares, Gregan." Kate jabbed the man lightly in the side as she made her way back.

Enrick took another drink from his waterskin as Gregan's head snapped up to make a rebuttal. When the two dropped into a new round of heated conversation, he rolled his eyes and stood. Looking around for something to occupy his attention while the two trouble-makers settled themselves, Enrick began to wander along the edge of the field.

Stolen novel; please report.

The forest was to his back, a flower field lay to his front, and a cliffside sat beyond that. Seeing as he'd just emerged from the forest, Enrick took to panning his gaze over the field. All else aside, It was a clearing of flowers— quite pretty if one ignored the thing's diet. If he focused, really squinting his eyes and letting the breeze wash over his body, it could almost be considered peaceful.

Enrick gave a muffled laugh as the thought passed him by.

In the middle of the field, a half-deflated boar carcass was clearly displayed. It seemed to have been bled dry over a period of days, and though the flowers had begun to twine themselves across its form, the illusion of peacefulness wouldn't be very convincing for a while still. Chuckling to himself, Enrick's eyes drifted to the cliff.

It was then that a discoloration in the stone caught his eye. Half blocked by a protruding edge of the hill, Enrick could see a glimpse of orangish-brown against a backdrop of black and grey. He squinted, curiosity piqued, but couldn't make out a shape. It was faint yet clearly different.

Creasing his brows, Enrick continued to walk along the edge of the field. It was curved to a degree, and with a better angle, an oddity began to reveal itself. The further along he went, the more clearly he could see the outline of—

"A door?"

Enrick cocked his head to the side and paused, then waved for his teammates' attention. "Kate, Gregan— come take a look at this!" He set his shield's end against the ground and leaned to point out what stood at the base of the cliff. Dropping their argument at his call, the two jogged their way towards him.

It was a simple door, from what Enrick could see given the distance. But it was a simple door in a solid stone cliffside, surrounded by a field of blood-sucking flowers and with a forest of monsters just beyond that. It was a curiosity, to say the least.

"Huh." Kate scratched at an ear after he pointed it out. "Well, that's new. Do you want to go check it out? Might actually be something neat."

Leaning forwards from her other side, Gregan gave a wide-shouldered shrug. "Don't see why not. Couldn't take more than a few minutes, and we're about due for a break anyway, wouldn't you say Enrick?"

"We took a break an hour ago, Gregan. But yeah, let's do it. We could all use a change of pace."

With each of them in agreement, the three moved to the hill's rising edge, where the flowers were thinnest. Kate led the way this time, burning a narrow path through the blossoms that still managed to grow there with concentrated gouts of flame. The plant-life in their path withered and died until finally, they stood in a crescent of empty grass under the shadow of the cliffside.

Enrick raised his brow as their team's resident [Mage] shook off her hands as if they were hot. Then, after sharing an eye-roll with Gregan over Kate's antics, he turned and walked up to the door. The other two moved silently up behind him as he inspected it.

It wasn't anything special; just a door of planks and iron bindings. After a second, Enrick nudged it open and called inside. "Is there anyone in there? My name is Enrick Lanchestor— may I come in?" The interior was dark, and he had trouble seeing past the frame.

When there was no response, Kate snorted behind Enrick's back. "It's an old door marking the entrance to some carved out rockface in the outer woods, Enrick. I'm sure whatever's in there has been long since abandoned— just hop inside and give an all-clear so we can take a look too." She stepped forwards and pushed the [Protector] closer to the entryway.

Enrick swatted at her but didn't argue the point. He brought his shield loosely to his front while his short sword tapped against the side of his backmost leg. "Bah— maybe next time we can have you act the [Scout] while Lorel is gone." Passing through the doorway, he shuddered at the feeling of ice water down his spine. "Because one of these days there'll actually be something inside, and gods' know we'll all be—"

He cut off and blinked as his mind registered his new surroundings. It was bright inside— far more so than it'd appeared from outside the space. Magelights flickered around planked walls, illuminating what was now clearly a bar of some kind. A well-kept bar, too— not nearly the decrepit stone interior their team had been expecting.

Stepping further into the room, Enrick shrugged his shoulders at a sudden influx of heat. The bottom of his shield lowered until it bumped against the floor. A fireplace burned off to his left, and the crackling of flames mixed with the bubbling of a small cauldron that hung above it. Looking down, he could see a sheen of water around the entryway and a rag— the cause behind a light slickness beneath his heel.

Enrick frowned as the hairs on the back of his neck rose. "Hello? Is there someone in here?" Eyes scanning the far side of the room, his gaze locked onto the counter and the space he couldn't see behind it. "My apologies for interrupting your work— but I mean you no harm. If you'd like to come out, perhaps we could talk?"

There was no response, and in the relative silence of the room, Enrick stepped slowly backward. His sword hand reached out to steady him against the doorway while his shield lifted from its resting position against the ground. As he stood there, he felt an encroaching sense of unease. Given the cliff's relative proximity to the surrounding towns and road, he would've expected to have heard at least passing mention of the bar from other adventurers. And yet, on greater consideration—

Nothing. Not once had Enrick heard mention of someone living in the forests' outer woods— nor even of an empty shack, residence, or room. It was as if the place had only just sprung into existence, unresponsive caretaker included.

Shifting uncertainly, Enrick rolled his shoulders. The situation seemed off. That no other adventurers had found it before them, and with an unknown occupant hiding somewhere within? No, it wasn't likely, and it wasn't right. He turned to wave the others back.

The motion of the turn brought him face to face with a young woman who'd been approaching from behind. She was less than three paces away from him, with arms raised overhead and body alongside the door. Given his team's current position outside and the angle of the door itself, however, she remained neatly out of the others' sights.

Enrick had just enough time to flinch and raise his shield to neck-level before the chair in the woman's grip lurched forwards, the chair's legs shattering as they cracked against his skull.

He flopped, senseless, onto the floor.